The old empire was led by a monarch.
It was characterized by classes, an
emperor and imperial states with common institutions. This organization
spanned the single states which emerged under the order of the empire on
the basis of feudalism. The empire
set the general conditions for the
coexistence of the powers. The vir-princedoms and duchies acknowledged
the emperor as head of state and
were subject to the empire’s laws,
jurisdiction and the enactments of
the Reichstag. At the same time they
could participate in the empire’s
politics by electing the king,
election capitulation, Diets and
estate proxies and guide them
according to their interests. The
amplitude of governmental power
was scattered over the centuries:
It was neither incumbent on the
emperor nor on the Pope. Not on
the Reichstag and not on the single
states. The importance of the em-
peror reduced and the role of the
church as well – another element
which has been involved in the
empire’s structure – was declining. Churchly authorities and
goods were taken by sovereigns.
The Reformation pushed this process and secularization worsened
the problems. From the early
modern age on the empire has
become a defensive structure.
Stability, legal protection
and peace-keeping were the main
tasks. The search for a common ground, the pursuit for
consensus and harmony are in
the whole German principles,
a federal premise which is
based on a one thousand year
old tradition.